Visitors Center
The Astoria Visitor's Center can help you with suggestions, maps and directions during your day in Astoria. Here you can also get a copy of the tour book of movie locations, so you can see exactly where some of your favorite movies were shot in Astoria; a $1 donation is requested to offset costs.
If you want to hear all about Astoria on your iPod while you're touring the town, you can download two free 1-hour recordings that bring the city and its history to life. The Astoria and Warrington's Historical Attractions tour features 21 locations around the community with historical significance, including the Flavel House, the Astoria Column and Fort Clatsop. The Reel Astoria tour includes 12 locations featured in major film releases, including "Goonies." You can download these recordings at the Astoria & Warrington Chamber of Commerce website. The free maps corresponding to these recordings are also available at this website.
111 West Marine Drive
Phone: (503) 325-6311
Museums
Columbia River Maritime Museum
At the Columbia River Maritime Museum, you'll discover the past, present and future of life at The Bar, as the mouth of the Columbia is known to seafarers. The museum combines the history of nautical life on the Columbia River with cutting-edge technology employed in many of its exhibits.
Upon entering the modern steel and glass museum, make sure to watch the brief narrative film, The Great River of the West, that shows just how dangerous the Columbia River Bar can be, even for the most experienced pilots. As you walk through the museum, you can catch glimpses of the Columbia River through the huge windows on the north facade.
The facility features six galleries of artifacts and exhibits. Here you can take in the interactive display that identifies the many shipwrecks that occurred at or near the mouth of the Columbia River, dubbed the "The Graveyard of the Pacific." You can also listen to recorded stories of actual Coast Guard rescues on the Columbia River Bar, try on foul weather gear, try your hand at tying nautical knots, sit in the Captain's chair of a ship's bridge exhibit or even try your hand as a pilot in their tugboat simulator.
Also on site is the Lightship Columbia, a National Historic Landmark and the last active-duty floating lighthouse on the West Coast. The Columbia is moored at the museum's dock, and tours of the ship are included in the cost of admission.
Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (ages 65+), $5 for kids (ages 6 to 17), and children 5 and under get in free. The Museum is open daily from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm.
1792 Marine Drive
Phone: (503) 325-2323
Flavel House Museum
The Flavel House was the home of Captain George Flavel, a one-time river bar pilot and the city's first millionaire. His Queen Anne-style house was designed by German-born architect Carl W. Leick, and was completed in the spring of 1886. The Captain lived here for seven years with his wife, Mary Christina Boelling, and their two grown daughters, until his death in 1893.
The house remained in the Flavel family until 1934, when George and Mary's great-granddaughter, Patricia Jean Flavel, donated the property to the city as a memorial to her family. Under city ownership, the home was used as offices for a variety of municipal departments. After being threatened with demolition in the early 1950s, local groups organized to save the home. The Clatsop County Historical Society eventually turned the home into a museum.
The Flavel House has approximately 11,600 square feet of living space, and consists of two and a half stories, a single story rear kitchen, a four-story tower and a full basement. The interior of the house features exquisite woodwork details. Six unique fireplace mantels can be found in the home, and are crafted with a variety of imported tiles from around the world. The 14-foot high ceilings on the first floor and the 12-foot high ceilings on the second floor are embellished with plaster medallions and crown molding.
The adjoining Carriage House was built on the southwest corner of the property in 1887. It originally served as storage for the family's carriage, as well as holding stalls for their horses, a tack room and a hay loft. Today, the Carriage House functions as the Visitor Center, museum store, and exhibit hall for the Flavel House Museum.
Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for AAA members, students and seniors, and $2 for kids 6 to 17. Open daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, May through September, and daily 11:00 am to 4:00 pm from October through April.
441 Eighth Street
Phone: (503) 325-2203
Bike Rental
Bikes & Beyond
Biking is not only a great way to see Astoria, but it's also a great way to burn off last night's cheesecake indulgence. Bikes & Beyond rents bikes by the hour ($8) or the day ($35). Helmets are also available, free of charge with your bike rental. Take a ride along the Waterfront Trail, or let the friendly folks at Bikes & Beyond suggest some routes for you. Open Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Sunday 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
1089 Marine Drive
Phone: (503) 325-2961
Birding
Birding on the Lower Columbia
Astoria's setting at the mouth of the Columbia River makes it a natural destination for migrating birds. A total of 356 bird species have been recorded in Clatsop County, making the area an attraction for bird watchers from around the world. The best spots for bird watching are Fort Stevens State Park, Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, in the trees around the Astoria Column, Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach and the walking trail and dike along the Columbia River at Alder Creek.
Hiking in Astoria
Waterfront Trail
The Waterfront Trail runs for 4 miles along the Columbia River from the Port of Astoria on the west to Alderbrook on the east. You'll be walking adjacent to the historic Astoria Streetcar Line. When you've gone far enough, hop on the trolley and return to Astoria. Along the way, you'll see boatyards, the remnants of old fish canneries and tug boat moorages.
Fort Stevens
If you're looking for a fairly easy hike while visiting Fort Stevens, head to the parking lot at the north end of Coffenbury Lake. A 2-mile trail will take you around the lake.
Fort to the Sea Trail
You too can follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark as you take the Fort to Sea Trail at Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks. The trailhead begins at Fort Clatsop, and ends at a crossing along Highway 101. Here is a link to the Trail Map. One caveat--you'll need someone to pick you up by car at the end of the trail.
Columbia River Eco Tour
Columbia River Eco Tours
Captain Christopher Lloyd invites you to join him on his boat, the Christina Cousteau, a 40-foot Tollycraft Yacht with heated cabin and restroom facilities, for a 2-, 3- or 4-hour tour of the Columbia River and its environs. Rates run from $95 to $150 per person.
Phone: (503) 468-9197
Fishing Charters
Gale Force Guides
Enjoy your day fishing on the Columbia River or the Pacific Ocean with Billy Davis of of Gale Force Guides. You'll be targeting either salmon or sturgeon. You'll be fishing in comfort from his custom-built 26-foot sled; it's 10-feet wide with comfortable Bentley seats, has seating for 6 passengers, and is powered by a 225 horsepower Mercury Verado Engine. All bait and equipment are included in the charter price.
90425 Par Road
Warrington
Phone: (503) 861-1494
Tackle Time Charters
Tackle Time Charters offers several fishing trips for halibut, tuna, salmon or sturgeon on the Columbia River or the Pacific Ocean aboard their boat, the Lady Dee. The Lady Dee is equipped with a restroom and inside seating. The charter includes all the gear and fresh bait you'll need for a great day of fishing. Licenses and lunches are not included; however, licenses can be purchased at their offices.
530 East Harbor Street
Warrington
Phone: (503) 861-3693
Trips to Nearby Towns
Seaside
Seaside has been the Northwest's most popular ocean resort for over a century. The city boasts spectacular ocean views, miles of public beach, a mild ocean climate, outdoor activities, year-round events, excellent shopping and fun dining.
The city's 1½-mile long oceanfront Promenade is perfect for strollers, joggers and bike riders. The "Prom" also gives access to those with mobility issues, getting them closer to the action on the beach. The town's wide, sandy beach is available for all kinds of activities--from low rider beach bikes, beach volleyball and sand castle building to kite flying.
There's plenty to do in Seaside. Shoppers delight in the dozens of unique boutiques, specialty shops, art galleries and antique stores. And youngsters and the young at heart enjoy the town's amusement venues, including the carousel, arcades, miniature golf, bumper cars and boats, tilt-a-whirl, paddle boats and canoes. Food in Seaside runs the gamut from family fare and fine dining to fun ethnic cuisine. Plus, the privately-owned Seaside Aquarium has drawn visitors to town for almost 75 years.
When in Seaside, don't forget to buy a bag of Salt Water Taffy--the town is famous for this sugary treat.
Cannon Beach
The artsy town of Cannon Beach is surrounded by the rugged natural beauty of forests, ocean beaches and rivers. With a population of only 1,695, Cannon Beach is a popular and picturesque resort area, playing host to an estimated 750,000 visitors annually. It's a popular weekend destination for people from Portland. In 1806, Captain William Clark of the Lewis & Clark Expedition traveled south to this area so as to secure needed blubber from a whale beached near the mouth of Ecola Creek.
Cannon Beach is notable for its well-known landmark, Haystack Rock, located to the southwest of the downtown area. This igneous rock is 235 feet tall, and is often accessible at low tide, especially in the summertime. There is a small cave system that penetrates the rock and can be seen from the coastline. The rock is protected as a marine sanctuary.
Chain stores such as Safeway and McDonald's have been discouraged from building in Cannon Beach in order to preserve the local economy and small town character.
Attractions in Astoria
Astoria Column
The Astoria Column is situated in a wooded park above the city's highest point, Coxcomb Hill. The hill itself is 600 feet above sea level. The monument was constructed in 1926 and is 125 feet tall. Built of concrete, the column is patterned after Trajan's Column in Rome, Italy. Depicted on the column's face is a mural that commemorates the "westward sweep of discovery and migration."
If you're up for a climb, you can ascend the column's circular staircase; it's 164 steps to the top. The Astoria Column provides visitors with a spectacular view of the city and surrounding rivers, bay, forest, mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Make sure to bring your camera!
The Astoria Column is open from dawn to dusk, and an on-site gift shop is open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Phone: (503) 325-2963
Fort Clatsop National Monument
The Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled through the Columbia River region during their expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase. Their Corps of Discovery spent the winter of 1805/06 at Fort Clatsop, a small log structure south and west of modern day Astoria, that they built during late November to Christmas Eve in 1805. Clatsop was the name of the local indian tribe. The expedition had hoped a ship would come by to take them back east, but instead they endured a torturous winter of rain and cold, then returned east the way they came.
The original Fort Clatsop decayed in the wet climate of the region. A replica of the fort was constructed from sketches in the journals of William Clark for the sesquicentennial in 1955 and lasted for fifty years; it was severely damaged by fire in early October 2005, weeks before Fort Clatsop's bicentennial. A new replica, more rustic and rough-hewn, was built by about 700 volunteers in 2006; it opened with a dedication ceremony that took place on December 9.
The visitor center includes the Fort Clatsop replica, an interpretive center offering an exhibit hall, gift shop and an orientation film.
Click here for a map of the Fort Clatsop National Monument.
Fort Stevens State Park
Fort Stevens was the primary military defense installation in the three fort Harbor Defense System at the mouth of the Columbia River (Forts Canby and Columbia in Washington were the other two). The fort served for 84 years, beginning with the Civil War and closing at the end of World War II.
Fort Stevens enjoys the distinctions of being the only military installation in the continental United States to be fired upon since the War of 1812. On June 21,1942, the fort was the target of a Japanese Submarine that fired 12 shells towards the Fort.
Today, Fort Stevens has grown into a 4,200 acre park offering exploration of history, nature, and recreational opportunities.
Camping, beachcombing, freshwater lake swimming, trails, wildlife viewing, photographing the Peter Iredale--an historic shipwreck and an historic military area make Fort Stevens a uniquely diversified park. A network of nine miles of bicycle trails and six miles of hiking trails allow you to explore the park through spruce and hemlock forests, wetlands, dunes, and shore pine.
Coffenbury Lake has two swimming areas, a picnic area, restrooms, and a boat ramp. Two other smaller lakes offer boat ramps for fishing and canoeing.
Throughout the year, you can browse through displays dating back to the Civil War at the museum, visit the only enclosed Civil War earthworks site on the west coast, and explore the gun batteries.
During the summer, you can tour a rare 90-year old underground gun battery that served as a World War II command center, and take a truck tour of the fortifications spanning the Spanish-American War and World War II (tour available at a nominal charge).
The Fort Stevens Historic Area Military Museum is open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm during the summer/fall season, and from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm during the winter/spring. |
